On: Want good programmers? Then pay them.

[spullara]

A layoff is not considered being fired.

[manmal → spullara]

It is not considered being fired by you ;) This particular layoff was a strategic decision - and a bad one too, they are now advertising in TV that Siemens is a good place for IT folks.

[jessriedel → manmal]

The point is that the existence of layoffs does not rebut the claim that programmers cannot be fired (individually) in Austria.

[pmjordan → jessriedel]

Or the claim that it's a financial burden. Layoffs involve expensive severance payments.